Asking To Be Drowned
by Renzin
Summary: Kuzuri is apprentice to the blacksmith of Kirigukare when Hoshigaki Kisame arrives to acquire a new sword to train under Fuguki sensei. She's loud and one manly 12 year old, while the shark is...well, not that different. Their meeting is not exactly the calmest of happenings, and Kuzuri learns that some people's bites are worse than her own bark. One shot...or not?
1. Chapter 1

Asking To Be Drowned

"_Guys can smell desperation. It triggers an instinct in them to run far and fast so they aren't around when a woman starts peeling apart her heart. They know she'll ask for help in putting it back together the right way - intact and beating correctly - and they dread the thought of puzzling over layers that they can't understand, let alone rebuild. They'd rather just not get blood on their hands._

_But sharks are different. They smell the blood of desperation and circle in. They whisper into a girl's ear, "I'll make it better. I'll make you forget all about your pain."_

_Sharks do this by eating your heart, but they never mention this beforehand. That is the thing about sharks." _

― Janette Rallison, My Fair Godmother

Somewhere deep in the market district of Kirigakure, a dark stone building took up a corner of a square, with wide wooden windows and heavy clanking heard inside. The constant freezing wind caused many inhabitants to eat their food on the steps closer to the blacksmiths, due to the scalding heat of the machines inside. The chimney puffed heavy smoke into the mists and while the entrance was open and wide enough to fit a carriage through, the lack of lighting and clear air shrouded it in a cloak of soot.

Inside, Mydrea Kuzuri had just finished loading the quenching tank in the forge. Dull curls and grains of metal winked at her while she dusted them lazily away and then made her way to the front of the store. Out there, her sensei's oldest worker, Sakon grunted a greeting at her, making his way back to where she had just come. His bald head was gleaming even outside of the forge's sweltering humidity, and his cold brown eyes seemed to match the rough purple hakama that lay at his waist. A heavy leather apron, a little more worn than Kuzuri's was all he wore on his top half.

She patted his arm as they passed in a familiar manner and slumped into the chair he had vacated behind the thick timber wood counter. The entire building was held together by similar thick joints of wood, mostly in origin from old ships and barges. Watching the retail part of the blacksmith's was usually exponentially boring, but after working in the forge since before dawn and missing lunch, the cooler, brighter front store was like the planes of Kami.

Apart from the battered tables and shelves at the sides of the room, the store was an open space, Kuzuri's view from the desk directly opposite the wide open doors. Ornamental weapons that were more for show and blunter items like armour and cleaning kits were displayed; more common items like senbon and kunai were kept in the storerooms or under the desk. Usually their regulars were shinobi or porters buying in bulk before a mission, though commissions for important figures of the village weren't uncommon. In fact, Kuzuri's sensei had built a national reputation for himself in Water country. The craftsmanship and love for his work that he had produced many a formidable weapon. Even one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, Akebino Jinin's defence, Kabutowari was created by her sensei. As of consequence, many of the elite jonin in the team bought from Rasen Tatsuo's Armory. To wield a creation of this crafter was a gift.

And somehow, Kuzuri had ended up as apprentice to him.

A slightly breeze was billowing into the store, the only part of it in pristine condition was of metal and leather. Kuzuri pulled out a battered book thicker than her wrists and flipped it open with the dark leather cord inside. The action fluttered the ringlets of her face as her soft, feminine hands stroked the paper-

Woah woah woah. Hold up for a second; 'Soft hands?' I'm a bloody blacksmith's girl, not a geisha! What am I, the damsel of some prissy tragedy?

Mydrea Kuzuri ain't a noble who can't even lift a hammer!

And for the record, my hands are _not _soft. They're calloused, with blunt nails that are charred and dirty. I don't need them breaking when I work! Honesty.

I'd also like to point out, that I fucking hurt _all over. _And I mean it; being an apprentice isn't all that's cracked up to be. Sure, its an _honour _and gets me out of dying as a kunoichi, even if I at least last my chunin exams. So sue me, I'd prefer to make blades rather than wield them. There are _5 _other kids in the family, all older! So what is one of them isn't throwing kunai around other than for practice?!

I guess it kind of helped that Sakon once heard me go on a rant about the 'beauty of forging' and all that, and told Tatsuo about me. So after deciding to humour me after I badgered him about being worthy and showing him all my designs (it also helped that I could draw) he eventually gave me a chance. I'm pretty sure that it was just to see me squirm and fail after the first day, but I stayed and persevered. And somehow, I became sensei's _actual _apprentice.

I know, badass, right? I must be like a master forger, with my own rep and adoring shinobi fans after 4 years with Tatsuo.

Hah. Good joke.

Yeah.

Reality check here; it takes _years_ and _years_ to perfect even just making nails and drilling holes guys. You know what happened when I first (and lastly) complained to sensei about this? I got sent to the leather makers to slather fat and manure on hides for _three_ weeks. Joy. Sakon just pinched his nose and grinned like the asshole he is.

Sakon is a lot older than me, as in mid thirties. He's no shinobi, being from a non ninja family who were labourers, but he's built like an oxen. Then again, when Tatsuo's not there, he does most of the heavy lifting. I mean, I'm strong fro my age and gender, but I still struggle.

A little.

Back to what I was saying about not being feminine? Yeah, I'm not very kunoichi like. My arms are covered in burn marks and white scars, but none are from serving the village on missions and such. They're also very muscular. Like, _manly _muscles. And in my work clothes, that consist of men's hakama, an apron and a lose vest with no sleeves, it's kind of obvious. You've got all these slender kunoichis that train in endurance and stealth and all that shit (yes I know that I did at the academy as well), who are all like 5'5" and here I am running around after work at the taverns and rowdy lower class. Actually, I am 5'6" now, but I'm almost 13. That's _a lot _of growing to do still.

I do still _have _my hitai-ate…somewhere.

I growl myself as my hairband disturbs the silence by pinging off dramatically and disappearing in a dark corner. This is practically a routine around this time with my hair. With a grumble at having to move my sore muscles even an inch, I retrieve it, tie a few more knots into it and pull up the chaos that is my hair into a severely high and tight pony tail before plaiting it. Most people around here have pin straight, thin hair that either sticks up or hangs down flat. Oh no, not me. One, its curly. And _thick. _As in, you can lose a hand if you lose sight of it in there. Two, it also _hates_ wind. And heat. And rain. Which is basically the day to day forecast in Hidden Mist, and what kind of blacksmith's isn't hot, right?

It may be sentient as well. That's still just a theory, though.

I'm ok with the colour. Brown, chestnut I guess with bits of gold here and there if I'm feeling pedantic. However my hair makes me look paler than I am, which I don't really need. I practically _glow_, you know. Not very stealthy or ninja like at all.

My eyes are blue. Not aquamarine, not striped with lilac, or stars or any unicorn's blood. Just blue, ok?

Don't even ask about my name. Mydrea Kuzuri – Warrior and wolverine? Um ok, my family name, no pressure right? And Kuzuri is a guys name! Damn you dead parents that I don't really remember. Though Sekon said my temper kinda matches.

Anyway, you get the picture, blah blah blah I stand out. Oooh look at the gigantic dude with breasts. Isn't that the girl who failed her kunoichi seducing training? Is that hair sentient? Calm down stupid fellow citizens. As if _I'm _the weird one in this village. _Please_.

Tatsuo sensei seems to be back from a summoning with the Mizukage. Yeah, he's that cool. Not that he ever takes _me _along to show my designs, oh _nooo. _

Hn.

Hearing his voice in the back talking to Sekon makes my gaze wander from my book in mild interest until I freeze.

Oh shit. Kami. Fuck fuckididilly _crap_.

Sure, we get Akebino Jinin come in here with Kuriarare Kushimaru occasionally to restock on supplies, but their not this… terrifying. Wait that's a lie, Kuriarare is massive and all of the swordsmen are pretty sadistic. But _none _of the others are this…

Blue.

And…_fishy. _

I thought that their serrated teeth didn't bother me but _his _aren't artificially sharpened and are…_shark like. _They look much more viscous on him.Hoshikagi Kisame's that is. Whose standing in the store. _Grinning_, no smirking sadistically.

That's not good.

"H-hello." I coughed, trying to clear the squeak from my voice. Has that ever happened before? "Can I help you?"

Now his expression reaches his eyes. Great, I amuse the deadly student of Suikazan Fuguki. "Possibly." His voice was gravelly, but adolescent and reminded me that he was probably 17 maybe. "My sensei sent me. Tatsuo sama is expecting me, you know where he is, gaki?"

I was all ready to reply and shove him in the right direction until he said _that._ "'Gaki'?" I hissed, forgetting whom I was addressing. "You calling _me _that?!"

Kisame's eyes widened in surprise. Today Fuguki sensei had arranged for him to meet Tatsuo to make him a new blade, seeing how he had grown out of his last one. While he had never personally met him, he'd of course heard of the craftsman, and Jinin had mentioned that he had taken a chunin as an apprentice. It was only allowed for her to no longer be a ninja since she had apparently shown a natural talent in the art of weaponry. Kisame would be lying if he said that he wasn't curious about the shojo.

He certainly hadn't expected the odd looking gaki who had just _sassed _him.

Though maybe that was a little rich coming from a walking and talking shark. She was very muscular for a female ninja, heck even for a little girl, and her limbs seemed to be growing faster than the rest of her. Curls that would tightly wrap around his fingers created a halo around her, long enough to disappear behind the desk even when he towered over her. How she had fought and worked with such a length, Kisame had no idea. Her face was round and unlike the rest of her tough physique, was chubby like a baby's, all the features large but for the nose that seemed squashed into her face.

In short, she was adorable in a bratty sort of way, and this would be too fun for Kisame. His face pulling into a dark snarl, he launched himself at her, pulling her over the desk and holding her in the air by her neck. Even without her face being right in front of him, he could tell that she was terrified, hell she reeked of fear. Kuzuri clawed at his wrists and kicked about as she tried to find purchase in the air with her feet, to no avail. She tried shouting for her sensei or Sekon, but the hand around her neck only viscously tightened.

Kisame's black pupils locked onto Kuzuri's as he growled playfully. "Yes I am, _gaki. _Question is, were you really just talking to _me _in that tone?"

Kuzuri whimpered and tried replying, but only raspy air came out. A shudder ran through her when the land shark chuckled darkly. _This is it, _she thought _he's going to kill me and possibly eat me now. _

Her constant writhing in his grasp didn't seem to bother him, and now tears trailed down her cheeks in shame.

And then she was knocked away against the counter when a very large, Tatsuo sized blur tackled Kisame, knocking him to the floor. Kuzuri gasped and hyperventilated as Sekon appeared as well, pulling her to support herself against him. Standing before Kisame, Rasen Tatsuo stood at his full 6 feet of labouring muscle, burn marks and seared flesh coating his charred brown flesh. His hair was dark and was long enough to be pulled into a tight top knot, while geometrical tattoos were littered all over his body. He was in his formal clothes after seeing the Mizukage, which were black and billowed around his frame while several melee weapons hung at his waist and back.

Kisame, immediately recognising the blacksmith, rose to his feet and bowed. "Tatsuo-sama."

Tatsuo's dark eyes were narrowed as he looked over Fuguki's student. "Any reason for man handling my workers, boy?" His voice was deep like a bear's.

Kisame grimaced internally. He really should've sensed the two men in the building. "The gaki was rude to me."

Kuzuri pounced away from Sekon who muttered a 'get back here' and pulled her back. In return, Kisame gave her another toothy smirk.

Tatsuo watched this exchange suspiciously. "Really now? Kuzuri kun usually only bites when provoked." He took a step forward, not in the least intimidated that the 17 year old was close to reaching his height. "Any more trouble, and you'll find the sword I give you fails you at a vital moment, boy. You got that?"

Kisame repressed a snarl, simply nodding. While this man was not a ninja, he was his senior and an important member of the village.

Tatsuo seemed satisfied with this. "Good. Follow me to the back; we'll talk more about your weapon preferences there. Kuzuri, back to work. Sekon, I want you to collect that order of oak from the recent lumber. Go."

They both nodded, however both warily watched Kisame as they followed orders. Kuzuri opened her discarded book, though her eyes never left Kisame's as he trailed behind Tatsuo into the forge. The look in them was hungry for a fight, and made her disappear to help Sekon very soon afterwards.

By the time they had returned, the shark nin was gone.

**Hello readers, I hoped you liked this little story that came to my head the other day. This was originally a one shot, but if people like, it I may expand it into a story. The icon picture for this story was painted by me some time ago, and while I thought it could represent Kuzuri in my mind, I'll admit that it does look like a female kisame. Bleh oh well! **

**Please review and tell me what you think. **

**Thank you! **

**Love, **

**Renzin xo**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"_Sharks have a bad rep, but the truth is you have a greater chance of a vending machine falling on you than you do a shark attack." _

― Katy Lee, Sunken Treasure

The only times she ever saw her new enemy was when he slipped in to see the progress of his sword. She personally never worked on it as her skill couldn't match Sekon's or Tatsuo's, but had snuck in once or twice and pulled it out of it's cloth binding to see it's progress.

It was huge; similar in design to Fuguki's infamous Samehada though was made of high quality steel and a simple design of flowing water engravings had been started. The hilt was thick and purposely heavier than necessary as Kisame was supposed to train with it to become stronger.

Quite frankly she was surprised at the lack of fish kanjis on it.

Every time he crossed paths with the little nuisance that had escaped his retribution, she was in crowded streets on errands or working. Fuguki had heard about their meeting and had found it hilarious, which didn't really help Kisame's vengeful streak, though he was a natural predator. He could bide his time.

Rather quickly his new sword was completed and he found it to be damn near perfect; not as large or powerful as his sensei's sword, but a formidable weapon all the same. It barely whispered as he sliced through the air with it, and the thought of where it came from made his training dummies grow dark curls and a familiar chubby face in his minds eye.

Kuzuri had been scared witless by her meeting with the stupid talking shark, but the worst of it was the realisation at how defenceless she had been. Sure, she had excelled in class until she had become Tatsuo's apprentice, but perhaps she ought to pick up on her training again. Just in case.

Instead of running around with the other market kids or going to the taverns after work to bother Sekon, she found secluded areas where the mists accumulated by the marshes and practiced. Her genjustu was an embarrassment, her chakra attacks were nothing special and her aim needed work. Fuinjustu? Non-existent and a mere dream, thankfully she had no kekkai genkai to get killed over.

Taijustu however? That was another story.

Her muscle memory only took moments to take control, and the strength she had gained was significant. While all ninja were trained in this style of fighting, not a lot excelled or specialised in it. Kuzuri's aggression was brilliant to channel through her movements, though oddly enough what made her a hard opponent to beat was her use of gentle fist suddenly after a bout of brutal offensive manuvers.

While it usually seemed like she was chaotically throwing herself about, everything was executed with calculated precision. Her style of fighting was full of acrobatic flips that didn't suit her harsh appearance and was impossible to follow.

But she was still rusty.

_Alarmingly_ so.

Which is why several months later she was just finishing off her last water clone when a familiar voice called "Kuzuri-chan?!"

She turned just as she was sprayed with the bursting water clone to see a jonin she knew well jog over to her, his clothes dusty and the shine of his hitai-ate was covered in suspiciously dried red flakes from his mission.

Kuzuri's smile erupted on her face and she latched onto his waist. "Nii san! I thought you weren't coming home for another month!?"

Mydrea Aoba was the second oldest in their family and a medical nin at 23. He was essentially the perfect son, skilled, polite and always respectful to his elders. Aoba was the exact opposite of Kuzuri, yet somehow they were close. He was easy going and seemed to know everyone, was always punctual and managed to break down the walls of his fellow nin even after all the Kirigakure training they had preached to never trust anyone.

Like his little sister he had brown curly hair, though it was shaved all around the sides and back and cropped short on top. A few ringlets swung mid way down his headband, and his eyes were a similar shade to Kuzuri's as well. A black jumpsuit had been unzipped and secured at the waist to act as trousers, the arms tucked around into a belt, which held pouches and his tonfa. A dark green wife beater covered his top half to show his arms, one of which showed a inch thick scar that ran down to his elbow at an angle. The standard striped Kirigakure leg warms covered his arms from the wrists to his elbows.

Aoba squeezed his sister back tightly before peeling her off to survey her. His face morphed into comical worry. Kuzuri, noticing his mood, said "What, is there something on my face?"

Aoba clicked his tongue and shook his head. "This is bad news, little Ku Ku. I thought that it would've passed by now."

"Huh?" she stared dumbly back at him, oblivious to the smile that he was hiding. "What's wrong?"

"It's seems you're still suffering from a disease called gigantism, I'm afraid. Yes, very seri-ow!" He dodged another flying ball of marsh mud. "Aww, common Kuzuri, is this how you treat you're returning brother?"

"Graaaaa! I am not a giant! You're taller than me!"

"Ah but not for long little Ku Ku! Or should I say Big Ku-hey knock it off!" A gleam entered Aoba's eye, "Fine, let's go!" he launched a volley of attacks with his hands, all blocked as Kuzuri yelped and fought back. Her footing was noticeably wobbly compared to the jonin, but then she landed a crescent kick that sent him staggering backwards. "Ok ok jeez you're not too tall, calm down!" Aoba pouted as Kuzuri sniggered. "You're stronger since the last time I saw you."

Kuzuri threw her chest out with pride, her fists on her hips. "_I've _been practicing, nii san. It's also been 8 months since you were last in the village for more than a week."

He gingerly rubbed his neck and started to walk back in step with her. "I know Kuzuri, I wish I could've been around more, but as soon as you finish one assignment, another comes in. The Mizukage is trying to strengthen the Hidden Mist; you remember this as chunin, right?"

Kuzuri nodded. "Yep, my team always ended up with the missions to Rain country. Is it _so_ _much_ to ask for a mission somewhere sunny?"

Aoba chuckled. "I would've thought that you'd be sick of hot places after the forge. How's that going?"

"Great! Tatsuo sama's going to let me use the grinding stone without supervision soon!" She shrugged at Aoba's raised eyebrow. "What? Blacksmithing is an art, you can't rush that."

"Yeah, unless there's a deadline."

"Ok, maybe sensei's a _little _OCD, but I'd rather be amazing at everything in a hundred years than mediocre but advanced in a couple."

Aoba stopped in his tracks and stared at Kuzuri until she noticed. "What?"

He shook his head. "Nothing, its just – I mean, I'd be careful little Ku Ku, it sounds like you're getting wiser."

"Hmph! No way! I'm going to stay young and carefree forever!"

"Hey come back here!" Aoba chased after his sister. "Wait up gaki!"

His fast reflexes saved him from ploughing into Kuzuri when she suddenly halted and spun around. "Don't call me that! I'll punch your teeth out onara atama!"

"Oi!" Aoba snapped as he tightly grasped her shoulders. "Calm down! What's gotten into you Kuzuri?"

She squeezed her eyes shut and held her breath before exhaling and answering. "Nothing, sorry Aoba." She muttered, but he still retrained her. "Letmego!"

"That wasn't nothing, Kuzuri chan, even _you _don't blow up at people for no reason." His eyes softened. "Common, you can tell your nii san, can't you?"

And so Kuzuri told Aoba all about her meeting with Hidden Mist's residential shark; how he had easily beat her, humiliated her and was most likely looking for revenge. Once she was finished, Aoba's tan skin had paled considerably. "Really, Kuzuri chan? You had to piss off a swordsman of the mist in training? Hoshigaki of all people?"

"He's not a _person_, nii san. He belongs on the grills of a sushi stand." She didn't expect the whack to the head Aoba gave her. Thankfully her skull was more resilient after Tatsuo's rage. "What was that for?!"

"You can't forsake the guy for what he is, little Ku Ku. It's _who_ he is that isn't great. I would've thought you'd understand that; _you_ aren't a bad person just because you don't look like a normal village nin, are you?"

"…No, but-"

"No buts Kuzuri. So he's after your guts. I may not have a giant sword, but I'll keep an eye on you now. I've been asked to train a group of chunin in medic jutsu, so I'll be around for a couple of months at least."

Kuzuri's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yep. Just don't antagonise him and don't stray alone too much. I understand the training now, but you can do it with me, ok?"

"Sure thing senpai!"

"Gah, imouto! And onara atama? 'Fart face', really? Where have you been learning language like that?"

"Err…bye nii san!"

**Aww, family bonding. So..**_**cute. **_**Eww. **

**Anyway, I guess I gave up on the idea of a one shot pretty quickly! Thank you TheCupcakeViking for your review! **

**Love, **

**Renzin xo**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"_Don't rub noses with a shark. It may be the last dental appointment you ever have." _

― Jarod Kintz, $3.33

Kisame licked up the splattered blood within reach of his tongue on his face like an elixir, glaring down at the shriveling remains of the bandit. His muscles were still tense and aching for the release this fight hadn't provided.

Fuguki kicked away the decapitated head of his opponent before moving over and watching his pupil with amusement, his eyes still glowing from blood lust. He wiped Samehada on the remaining clothes of a corpse before asking,

"I know you're one for brutality, Kisame kun, but those you leave dead usually twitch about for a bit longer. What's been fouling your mood?"

In reality, Fuguki had noticed Kisame's rattling temper for the past few months, and while he found it rather fun to watch, he was ready to intervene if training was affected. In all honesty, all of the swordsmen had noticed, though it was quite entertaining for all of them.

Kisame growled disappointedly at the slushy red pile of flesh. It was disappointing how quick the bandits had been to clear up, especially with the higher bounty on their heads.

This had been another 'field trip' with his sensei, the type he usually enjoyed; but despite the chance to spill blood, he felt agitated and frustrated.

And it was all that little brat's fault.

He just…wasn't sure how or why…

_Yet_.

Either way, it was the gaki's fault.

The young shark nin grumbled and turned away towards the path, making sure not to turn his back to his sensei. "This scum was a waste of our time. I thought a higher bounty meant they were better opponents."

Fuguki laughed and walked beside Kisame, clamping a huge hand on his shoulder. His acidic orange hair swung with the shaking of his shoulders. "Still want to sink your teeth into something, eh? Or is something distracting you?"

Kisame huffed, but didn't answer.

"Ah, so I'm right? Who is it then? Some one pick a fight with you? Or is it an onna! Ha! That meat of yours finally woken up then?" Fuguki lewdly howled.

The younger ninja scowled and curled his lips up at the thought of Mydrea Kuzuri being anything but the stupid brat she was. "Not a chance sensei." His fists balled up, the nails digging in as he remembered how he could never get her alone to teach her a lesson. "Just a gaki I haven't had the chance to discipline."

Fuguki, despite his loud voice and bulky appearance, was sharp and observant. "Ah, Tatsuo's apprentice. Are you still sore about that then?"

"…Yes." He grumbled with a glare at the sky.

"You know she was top of her class in her physical examination? Her hand to hand combat was quite a sight apparently." Fuguki nonchalantly said as he inspected his nails.

Kisame curiously looked up to him with a frown. "Why was she allowed to leave training then? Surely she would be an asset to the Mizukage?"

"Well, he was very against it at first, that's true. But somehow Mydrea discovered that she had a talent for forgery, enough to impress Tatsuo at least. His work as you know is famous for its beauty and strength as well, and someone must be taught to continue his work. For some reason, she was adamant to not be a ninja and managed to get her chunin instructor and Tatsuo to appeal to the Mizukage for her."

"I don't understand why anyone would want to not be nin." Kisame snorted in disgust. "It's honourable and proves your strength."

"That is true, but perhaps it is better this way; a ninja who does not put their all in is bound to fail. It's a shame that someone so promising would not progress any further." Fuguki said slyly.

As expected, he saw Kisame's face contort with jealously. "The gaki can't be _that _good; I had her cornered in seconds."

His sensei rolled his eyes. "Yes, with almost 5 years of training on her, not to mention her time not training and your physical advantage."

"That's irrelevant anyway." Kisame growled. "She needs to learn to watch her tongue, and as soon as we get back to the village, I'll be the one to teach her just that."

Fuguki chuckled as they leapt into the trees and picked up the pace. "Now this'll be entertaining…"

Later, in Kirigakure…

"Oi Nii san, give that back!" Kuzuri latched onto the torso of her brother, flailing around to catch the brown paper bag he held.

"Get off of me Ku Ku! You've already had too many!" Aoba said as he tried to peel her off. With exasperation, he looked to Sekon. "Some help would be nice!"

Sekon stayed where he was, leaning against the thick wooden beam with his cigarette outside the armoury. He grinned as he watched the sibling wrestling, but shook his head. "No can do, kid. The moment she finishes her shift and leaves the building, she ain't my problem."

Aoba groaned. "Really? These are the people I left you wit- hey get off!" Finally, Kuzuri fell onto the floor, the dust of the streets billowing around her like a crash site. However Aoba's triumphant expression vanished when his sister leapt up, blew a raspberry and ran off.

"Better luck next time Nii san!" She cackled.

"Gah! Come back here you nuisance!"

Kuzuri turned the corner and another that lead into one of the villages many alleyways. She quickly vaulted with the help of a trashcan and some crumbling bricks up to the roof and hurried across to the busy market centre. As Kuzuri swung down large cable to the next rooftop, she giggled and the sounds of her brother cursing her.

She was a lot faster climb that Aoba was, yet he was far more skilled in other areas. With a burst of pride, she egocentrically marvelled at the working muscles of her body. Training had loosened her body over the past few months, and she had naturally fallen back into the movements of a ninja.

Finally, Kuzuri slid down an angled roof and somersaulted to the ground, rolling to absorb the impact and immediately leapt forward to continue running. As she went, the fizzing sweets in the brown bag she carried were being eaten one by one. Aoba would eventually catch and outwit her, she knew, but by then she would be contently full with a numb tongue.

Kuzuri laughed with satisfaction as she weaved through stalls and shoppers, glancing down to put another sweet in her mouth when someone pulled her into the air by the back of her collar.

Kuzuri squealed in surprise and immediately used her change in direction to swing her body over onto the back of her captor and slam both fists down onto their head with a nasty thud. Much to her shock however, instead of crying out and letting her go, a familiar guttural roar was heard and the hand still grasping her collar tightened to throw her back the way she had been running and into a painfully sturdy wall.

Kuzuri tried to rebound of the wall, but her landing was too low to the ground and she scraped her ankle with a stumble. She cried out in anger and glared at the figure in front of her in the parted crowd, only to pale considerably in recognition.

"Didn't your parents ever tell you to not eat too many sweets, gaki bo?" A dark and gleeful voice rang out.

**Moral of the story – listen to your older siblings!**

**I jest, I jest; I ignore half the stuff my bro tells me to do :3 **

**Please tell me what you think of this chapter, and thank you for reading!**

**Love, **

**Renzin xo**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Woops I forgot about these, so here it is; I don't own Naruto, only this storyline and my OCs.**

Chapter 4

_"I guess they're called moments because they don't last very long." _

― Sarra Manning, You Don't Have to Say You Love Me

_"There will be killing till the score is paid." _

― Homer, The Odyssey

For a moment, stark, cold fear shot through Kuzuri like winter rain. One hand held the neck of her sweet bag that was torn, scattering her precious delicacies all over the dirty streets.

Already, young urchins were darting out of the crowd to collect those that had rolled far enough away. The habitual mists of the village seemed to dance and flutter excitedly through the air, dropping the usual grey glow over the scene.

For a brief moment, Kisame felt the urge to laugh hysterically.

His prey was such a _weird _looking girl; crazy hair tangled in the air, flushed, terrified face and knees caked with mud. Her eyes kept twitching as if she was fighting the urge to look away and escape.

Well he was having _none _of that.

"What's the matter, shark got your tongue?" Kisame purred, pulled out his sword.

Kuzuri took a dry gulp, narrowing her eyes. "What do you want, Hoshigaki? It's not fishing season in the village, is it?"

Oddly enough, Kisame's smirk only grew wider, his serrated teeth bared manically. "No, gaki. I've got something far more scrawny and legged in my sights."

The swordsman leapt forward, swinging Tatsuo's sword down where Kuzuri would have been, had she not rolled away swiftly and got up into a low fighting stance.

Perhaps a normal citizen would've been more fazed by the advancing shark nin like Kuzuri had been seconds ago, but then, her tunnel vision had switched on

_red_ at the insult that had caused this feud. "I AM _NOT _A BRAT!"

As Kisame twisted and spun the great sword over his head, the ex kunoichi dodged his swooping axe chop and landed a hard, chakra infused punch with both fists straight to his unprotected abdomen and chest, forcing the surprised shark back with a surprised huff.

Kuzuri twisted on her right leg to throw a low sidekick to his hip, but with a yelp redirected the momentum upwards in a crouched jump to avoid another heavy sword swing.

Just as quickly as Kisame had done so, he forced her back further with several more aggressive maneuvers, her speed saving her from losing her head.

Several watchers screamed as Kuzuri caught her punisher's eye, bright with terrifying bloodlust, and in that second was distracted enough for Kisame's sword to taste her blood.

Kuzuri cried out in shock, rolling away to create distance on the other side of the clearing.

Vaguely, she noted several nin watching with interest, not bothering to stop the fight, including Kisame's teacher Fuguki. His sharp eyes watched their every move, assessing the fight with cunning.

With a pang of anger, Kuzuri realized that the sensei was probably seeing this as another test for his student, and so far an easy one.

Kisame shuddered at the sweet smell of the red sap running down his blade, it's matching river a gash along Kuzuri's forearm. Not breaking eye contact, he bent his head a little to lick the red stream slowly, his excitement growing at her widening, furious eyes.

She tasted rich and vibrant, a salty burn with the metal undertones.

"Hmmm," Kisame growled. "You eat too many sweets _gaki bo. _I can taste it in your blood."

With satisfaction, he threw himself towards Kuzuri, who in a new wild rage had rushed forward with a battle cry. This would be short and sweet, now she had lost her head.

How wrong he was.

Fuguki saw it first. He had seen many types of fighters in his time; some were weak while others strived for greatness. Most grew tired after prolonged battle, ready to sacrifice themselves to preserve their village's secrets.

But there were a select few that worked different under rage.

Sometimes, he would see a rare fighter perform beautiful feats by just letting go.

That was when the greatest chaos reined.

Kisame was like this, and when his training was complete, would be an unstoppable, storming force. And when he saw the feral look in Kuzuri's eye, Fuguki grinned in recognition.

She thrust herself in low, violently rolling through the legs of Kisame before he had even bought his blade down to kiss the ground. Without looking she kicked both legs together backwards, pushing up with her arms and took pleasure in the harsh exhale of surprise he let out.

Kuzuri pressed down in the ground to flip up, then wildly jump and kick the barely recovered shark nin in the front, the seam of her scruffy shoes scratching deeply across his clavicle.

Kisame stared down at his chest, taking it the grazed skin and stinging sensation.

He stood so still, those watching thought he had succumb to shock, which for a second, he had. Then, slowly looking up, he stared at the girl in front of him, already in a stance with the palms of her hands pressed out while the fingers curled in. One was at her waist, the elbow tightly bent and tucked in, the other directed towards him at shoulder height.

Kuzuri broke the silence with the flick of her tongue, as she blew the loudest, sloppiest raspberry she could, and waited.

Kisame didn't even flinch when a string of saliva landed on his cheek.

As Aoba arrived and tried to push through the crowd, the shark roared and charged again with an excited grin, deciding to deal out some of his finer, chakra infused moves.

Fuguki spotted his comrade Biwa Juzo, Kubikiribōchō being used as a staff to lean against, whilst his angsty student Momochi Zabuza watched. Both looked on with interest, arms crossed and dark eyes glaring across the space.

When he caught Juzo's eye, Fuguki jerked his head towards Aoba tearing through the crowd and gave him a meaningful look. Juzo lazily nodded, flicked Zabuza in the temple and motioned towards the enraged medic. The young demon snarled but hmphed his understanding, and the two of them moved to block the way of Aoba, ignoring his outrage.

Kisame was thoroughly enjoying himself, yet conflicted with prideful rage.

The gaki was surprisingly skilled, and was putting up a much better fight than many full-grown nin he had faced. Then again, this _wasn't_ going the way he planned.

For Kami's sake, he was supposed to be teaching the brat a _lesson_.

Fuguki would never let this go if he _lost._

Kuzuri danced like a flying thorn around her opponent's constantly moving body, praying that she would make it out alive.

Kisame was extremely skilled and vicious, and she was starting to form a collection of deep cuts to prove it. They were slowing her down, and her clothes had grown heavy from the soaked blood. She couldn't understand how he could keep swinging that stupid weapon around for so _long_.

Even if she wasn't a _true_ nin anymore, she really should have kept up the habit of keeping her weapons pouch to her person.

Hell, she didn't even have a single _kunai _on her.

Mentally, she cursed the well-forged blade set to clever her in two.

And then haphazardly took it back as if her sensei would hear her thoughts.

Kuzuri didn't want to think about how pathetic this fight would've been had she not started to train again. Maybe that was all she needed, to be haunted by a murderous land shark.

It was a bit much, wasn't it?

However, this fight was proving to be a brilliant rush, reminding her of how much she _loved_ taijutsu. It was odd for a girl to be strong enough to excel in this fighting style, and while her charka control was weak, she had learnt to accumulate her stores of energy and wait for opening to launch bone-breaking attacks.

Her endurance was elastic enough to allow to her flip around the reach of Kisame's sword while she built up her stores; it was like air wasn't a necessity while she fought, and the pain was a crowd cheering her on.

That being said, she was at a serious disadvantage.

Kuzuri was dishing out some seriously painful blows on Kisame's bruising skin, sure. But Tatsuo's blade was preventing her from performing any knock out kicks, and even then her opponent seemed tough enough to retaliate.

She was mentally cursing herself as she realized how much she relied on her ground moves for a take down, which would be suicide with a swordsman.

Kisame's grip was like iron, and her several attempts at disarming him had proved fruitless and far too risky.

Becoming increasingly frustrated, Kuzuri dove in for another sharp hook after ducking a stab.

With a loud "huh!", her fist collided with the shark's pummeled rib, but this time, Kisame didn't allow her to retreat.

With a triumphant leer, Kisame grabbed her by the throat, twisting her with a slash back of her ankles and pushed her down to her knees, facing towards the crowd.

He grinned sadistically.

Kisame set a foot on her back, grasping her thick hair tightly, and pushed down unforgivingly. Kuzuri screamed after her back started to bend and pop loudly, clawing at the large blue hand.

In the crowd, Aoba roared and violently struggled against Juzo and Zabuza, who held him back tightly.

Kisame pressed down even more as he bent over, inhaling deeply the scent of Kuzuri's terror and the sweat by her ear. "Have you learnt your lesson yet, little otome? Or do I need to continue?"

Ninjutsu had never been something Kuzuri excelled at, or really ever pursued.

You had to show a particular skill in it to gain attention from any academy teacher willing to pass down knowledge, and it was only ever her taijutsu that was formidable, then later her competence in the forgery.

But since she _did _have three fully-grown nin for siblings wandering through her life, she had picked up a few tricks.

She fumbled over the hand signs and was unsure of herself, but thankfully Kisame didn't see over her shoulder what she was doing until it was too late.

With a loud cry, Kuzuri finished the blade of wind jutsu and grasped the hilt of her near invisible katana, ignoring the bleeding of her scalp as a fistful of hair went with Kisame as he stumbled back.

He looked down, stunned. The mesh tank he wore was slashed diagonally, hanging open like a vest to reveal the burning slice of the jutsu. It was thin yet deep, and when Kisame looked up to glare and snarl darkly at the gaki, the pain of his tensing muscles doubled.

He bellowed loudly and charged, barbarically throwing his sword towards all the fatal areas of her body, yet Kuzuri somehow managed to block each of them with two hands on the hilt of her katana, being pushed back by each step. Sensing her weakened strength, Kisame delivered a final blow, bringing down his sword with both hands from above his head.

Kuzuri fell backwards to the ground as her jutsu broke, her concentration too shaken to hold it any longer. But before she could slide away again, the girl felt a hot burning pain surpassing any she had felt before. She felt her sore jaws stretch out widely, and heard her own piercing scream, gagging at the sight of her right foot hanging in two slices by the bridge of it.

It seemed to gurgle blood endlessly, like when you created a new opening for a volcanic spring or mud pit.

Panic started to choke her as Kisame lowered down to the balls of his feet, blocking the light with his huge body. He supported his quadruped form by his hands either side of her head, grinning widely down at Kuzuri's tear-filled eyes with the black and white rims of his own.

"What's this? Are you going to beg?" He murmured, leaning further so she could feel his pectorals skim her own heaving chest. "Scream, gaki. For me."

So she did. But not before she had forced with a puff the half digested fizzing gob stopper that had been stuck to the roof of her mouth the entire time.

All this time, her childish mind had fought down her usual motor mouth that she fought with in favour of saving at least _one _of her precious sweets.

It seemed that gaining an extra foot surgically was what it took to give _that_ dream up.

The gob stopper slammed up into Kisame's open mouth with such force it flew all the way up his throat and lodged at the back of it. His eyes widened comically, watering with his open fish like mouth. Hissing when Kuzuri started to scratch and snap at every part of his she could reach, he rushed to sit up, clutching at his throat as he gagged.

A shaking Kuzuri scrambled backwards from out of the shark's legs around the same time Aoba managed to break free of the momentarily stunned Kubikiribōchō user and student, running to kneel at her side.

"Kuzuri-chan! Hold still!" He barked, face several shades unnatural. One hand held her body down as she started to try and lean up, the other glowing a saturated green as Aoba held it above her foot.

Citizens were screaming now, junior nin panicking as the ANBU _finally _arrived.

Several rushed to Kisame, one thrown to the ground as Fuguki bent his student over on his hands and knees and slammed two-cupped fists down on his back. Kisame collapsed and briefly lost his senses from the blow, but as he was pulled up again, noticed that the vile sweet had fallen onto the pavement again.

A colleague of Aoba's rushed forward. "Kami! She's a mess!"

"Don't just stand there!" Aoba roared. "Hold her foot together so I can heal it!"

Flinching from the man's volcanic voice, the ANBU knelt down and did as he was told, while another held Kuzuri's arms and shoulders down.

Adrenaline was leaving her body, and she started to convulse, as the greatest pain Kuzuri had ever felt grew tenfold. Gurgling, incomprehensible screams started as she felt the flesh of her foot being pieced together by her brother.

Her head whipped side to side, as if the extra movement would shake it all away. Someone else's hands came to clamp it down against the ground, cheek pressed into the wet ground.

Her blotchy blue eyes briefly focused on Kisame's as he looked up, before rolling back. He felt numb and in shock, something that hadn't happened since he first killed.

**Dude.**

**Intense, right?**

**I don't write many fight scenes, so I was super excited for this! :3**

**I'll quickly talk about this chapter:**

**First of all, Kuzuri's fighting ability.**

**For those who thought she would win this, I have to stress, this is a future S class Kisame we're talking about, one whose very pissed and vengeful.**

**While Kuzuri was good enough that (as previously mentioned) Kiri's Kage had to be convinced to let her become Tatsuo's apprentice and quit fighting for him, Kuzuri's never had a one on one sensei for nin stuff, and was at a serious disadvantage what with Kisame's extra training, age, height, muscle, _head cleaving weapon…ect._**

**On the other hand, she wasn't pummeled to death either.**

**Well, ok, she _was, _but Kuzuri managed to hold her own for quite a while, without any help. **

**We've got to factor in that Kisame isn't really the type be all 'OH SENPAI, TEACH ME' to poor Fuguki, and so probably learnt most lessons the hard way. In this case, learn to not leave openings to quick, smaller angry brats.**

**She's also a natural at taijutsu; Kuzuri's unpredictable and hard to follow, hence her name (which means 'wolverine' if you lazies haven't looked it up yet ;) !).**

**Let's not forget that to Kisame, this is a _game, a hunt. _Like cat and mouse. It's no fun if it's over too quickly, and the fact that Kuzuri managed to avoid a fight for a few months longer turned on his game that much more. **

**There were probably a few times where the fight could've gone a completely different way; maybe things would've been different if Kuzuri was still a kunoichi, with weapons on her person.**

**Then again, if Kisame wanted to, he could've slit her throat when he got her on her knees.**

**There's also the fact that Kisame's been going on high ranking missions with his sensei, while Kuzuri's fights would've at their hardest been _maybe_ B rank as a chunin, which she wasn't for very long.**

**_Gasp!_**

**Rant no 1 over.**

**Next I'll talk about Juzo and Zabuza. For those of you who didn't get it, like Fuguki is the previous wielder of Kisame's to be sword and sensei, the same goes with Juzo and Zabuza.**

**And the whole thing about detaining Aoba.**

**In my mind, (which I will expand on in later chapters), the Seven Swordsman are sort of as much of a Fight Club as you can get in Kiri; they're drinking buddies, but it won't take much to convince them to brawl.**

**Fuguki's a devious bastard, and has reasons for everything he says and does. And that includes his interest in watching the double KK's fight. So when big brother bear comes along to break it up, Fuguki's just not going to have that. Juzo isn't like a _minion _of his, as if Fuguki's the big gang lord of the Swordsmen, but isn't bothered with helping out when the big ginger calls in a favor.**

**Zabuza's just…Zabuza.**

**And finally, _the blackout._**

**Inhale of air.**

**_Ok._**

**So, you ever read stories where they're really awesome despite the fact that they _may _be a typical MS, but then there's that fight where even if the protagonist is injured/defeated, they walk away from a major baddass with either practically no damage at all, or aren't fazed by being stabbed in the gut or brain or pancreas blahhhh.**

**That question seemed a lot shorter in my head.**

**Anyway, point:**

**I'm sure there are nin in the Naruto world that are so hardcore (eg Ibiki) that they can stay silent and neutral after having their intestine's feel the air, but this is a 13 year old girl we're talking about. She's just had her foot cleaved _in two, _and a big blue bully has taken her sweets away.**

**This is a _weird_, bossy 13-year-old girl who can land a solid punch, but she's not hiding any secret kekkai genkai that blocks off her senses or whatever.**

**Nor is she a Jashinist like Hidan.**

**_Yet._**

**I jest, I jest.**

**_…Or am I…?_**

**Please review and tell what you think!**

**Love, **

**Renzin xo**


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